Whatever you do, don’t quit!

There are days when you’ve had it up to here at work. You hate everything and everyone.

You go home and do your finances and you realize, you’ve got a little financial cushion. After talking it over with your spouse, you agree that there’s nothing worth this kind of stress in your life.

It’s decided. You’re quitting!

You feel so much better. This decision gives you a sense of relief. You won’t have to put up with your crappy boss anymore. You’ll leave your nagging coworkers behind. You’ll take some time off to find yourself, get refreshed, and jump back onto the horse.

What could be better?

Well, there are a few things you probably haven’t thought about. Let me share them with you here.

You know you quit, but who else knows that? When you leave a company for an unexplained reason, it’s often assumed you were fired. This is a situation you will have to explain for many years into the future. Worse yet, your explanation sounds like complaining. Even if you’re completely justified, you’re leaving yourself open for a lot of public interpretation, and hallway gossip, that could impact your career long-term.

Finding yourself is a process. If you leave your job because it’s not what you want to do, realize that it may take you a while to learn what you DO want to do! When you finally select your new career, you may find out you need more experience or you need to take a class. Why not wait to leave until your new career path is underway? In the meantime, take classes and do soul searching while you’re still at your current job. Let your old job fund your new one.

The job market is tough. Let’s face it, even the most talented people are having a hard time finding a job these days. It may take you longer to find a job than you think. Even if you’re the best at what you do, if there are no jobs available, you’ll be waiting a while.

Time off only feels like a vacation if you know what’s next. Person after person has told me this. When you quit your job, even though you have time off, you can’t relax. Your time is spent worrying about getting your next job and where your next paycheck will come from.

Things could be worse. When you’re not working, you lose some of your negotiation power. You’re more likely to accept a job that pays less. And, you’re more likely to take a job working for someone you dislike. In fact, your new job could end up being worse than your old one. Wouldn’t that be awful? You’d be trying to endure another year or two of your new boss, so you don’t look like a job hopper on your resume.

Things could get better. I know this sounds crazy, but it could happen. I recently spoke to someone who wasn’t enjoying their job and out of the blue, they were offered a promotion. Suddenly, they’re being appreciated and given a new opportunity at advancement.

Don’t get me wrong. If you are in an abusive situation that is negatively impacting your health or putting you at risk in any way, this advice does not apply to you. Taking care of yourself is the most important priority.

But, if you’re not in danger or putting yourself at risk by going to work everyday, do your best to hang in there. Don’t walk away. Put together a plan of action and begin to change your life one day at a time.

Reach out to friends and loved ones for support. And, if you’re in need of a coach, feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to help you with your own journey.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. Thanks.